Kitty has learned the hard way that she can trust no one, not even the people she thought were on her side. With her back against the wall, Kitty wants to believe she will do whatever it takes to support the rebellion she believes in - but is she prepared to pay the ultimate price? --from the book jacket

This book had me on the edge of my seat at times. I was completely surprised by some character's actions and sometimes I thought I saw what was coming before it happened. Most of this book takes place in Elsewhere, a place where old people, extra children and criminals are sent. Most of society has no idea what Elsewhere is like. They think of it as a comfortable place for older people to go but also fear being sent there if they commit a crime. In reality, it is far worse than anyone imagines.

I still found Kitty almost unbearably annoying. She is selfish and rash, almost never thinking before she acts. In other words, a perfectly normal teenager. So, even though she is quite irritating and I wanted to kick her several times, she really is a pretty realistic character. How many teenagers are actually as brave and unselfish as Katniss when she takes her sister's place in the reaping? Most teenagers really are uncertain of who they are and selfish and have tempers. So, I guess even though Kitty drove me crazy, she was just acting her age.

The rest of the story is great. There are parts that are so awful I can't believe they happened and there are many brave characters that give the society hope. The rebellion is uncertain and as much as I hoped they would succeed, I was also scared of who might die in the process.

There are a couple of twists in this story that really surprised me and I can't wait to see how they are resolved. I am looking forward to reading the final book in the trilogy (if it is only three books and I hope it is).

Recommended to:

Fans of dystopian future, young adults or actual adults. There are some particularly gruesome details in this story that may freak out younger teens or squeamish adults, so beware.